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Murder jury hears friends’ evidence

THE JURY in the trial of a man accused of the murder of a friend, have heard from friends about the events leading up to the fatal incident earlier this year.

Paul Mapps, 26, of Marshfield Road, Trinant, is charged with the murder of 27-year-old Ian Davies following an incident on January 11 of this year.

Mr Davies was treated by paramedics at a property on Marshfield Road but later died at the Royal Gwent Hospital at 9.30pm as a result of injuries caused by a single stab wound to his abdomen. Mapps, who denies murder, was arrested later that night.

The prosecution case continued yesterday with witnesses, Stephanie Townsend and Aaron Jenkins, who were partners at the time of incident. The jury heard how the pair had accompanied Mapps and his partner, Kayleigh Forbes on a night out in Blackwood on January 10, to celebrate Mapps’ sister, Dawn’s 30th birthday.

Miss Townsend said everyone had been drinking and taking drugs- namely Valium and M-Kat - at Mapps’ house before going out, except for her as she was pregnant.

The next day, on January 11, the court heard how Mapps repeatedly tried to get in touch with Mr Jenkins, as well as leaving voice messages over night, demanding money he had lent him for the night out.

Mr Jenkins said: “He called 20-30 times throughout the day. I didn’t answer any. I told [Stephanie] to tell him I’d speak to him tomorrow when he’d calmed down. It was just a lot of shouting.”

Miss Townsend, who answered some of the calls, said: “He was saying he was going to come down and teach Aaron a lesson. He was drunk, I could tell by his tone of voice – it was nasty.”

Another witness, Ben Phelps, said he was walking his dog in Trinant on January 11 at around 5.45pm, when he came across Mr Davies and a woman the defence claim is Dawn Mapps. He stopped and chatted with Mr Davies, but was interrupted by Mapps, Miss Forbes and another man coming into the square. Mr Phelps claimed Mapps was shouting at Mr Davies.